Sunderland are ripped apart as their dreadful start to the season continues

Seven days on from their opening-day surrender at Leicester, the Black Cats produced an equally inept display that was all too reminiscent of so many of their performances at the Stadium of Light last season.

Dick Advocaat’s players were booed from the field at both the half-time and full-time whistle, with the Sunderland supporters also chanting “Are you watching Ellis Short” at various stages of the second half.

The lack of sufficient summer signings was glaringly apparent as the Black Cats were ripped apart by a Norwich side that were playing in the Championship last season.

Russell Martin and Steven Whittaker scored before the break, with Nathan Redmond adding a third goal in the second half to compound Sunderland’s misery.

Duncan Watmore pulled a goal back for the Black Cats on his Premier League debut, but the result leaves the Wearsiders at the foot of the table after the opening two games.

Dick Advocaat made two changes to the side that crashed to a 4-2 defeat at Leicester on the opening weekend of the season, with French midfielder Yann M’Vila making his Black Cats debut in place of Jack Rodwell and Steven Fletcher replacing the injured Adam Johnson in attack.

However, the Sunderland head coach resisted the temptation to change his back four and stuck with the 4-3-3 formation that proved so problematic in the early stages at the King Power Stadium.

By the time his players were being booed off at the half-time whistle, he must have been wondering if he had made the wrong call on both counts.

For the second game in succession, Sunderland were all at sea in the opening 45 minutes, with Norwich’s bright, incisive counter-attacking play repeatedly slicing them open.

The Canaries created their first opportunity after 13 minutes, only for the impressive Robbie Brady to slice a shot wide, and Costel Pantilimon was called into action for the first time eight minutes later as he held on to Jonny Howson’s flick from Brady’s cross.

The Sunderland goalkeeper made an even better save at the midway point of the first half, turning Howson’s 20-yard shot around the post, but Norwich broke the deadlock from the resultant corner.

A well-worked short-corner routine enabled Brady to fire in a shot from the corner of the area, and while Pantilimon did well to parry the full-back’s effort, the ball rebounded off Martin, who was stood on the edge of the six-yard box, and flew back into the net.

If there was an element of fortune to Norwich’s opener, it was hardly undeserved, and with Sunderland’s defence struggling to cope with the pace and invention of Redmond and Wes Hoolahan in particular, the visitors doubled their lead eight minutes before the break.

Hoolahan’s superb back-heel completed a crisp one-two with Whittaker, and after advancing into the area, the right-back drilled a fierce low drive across Pantilimon and into the far corner of the net.

Things might have been even worse for Sunderland at the interval, but Cameron Jerome fired over from ten yards after the home defenders failed to deal with a Whittaker cross and Graham Dorrans dragged a shot wide after Redmond had dribbled his way into the box.

Sunderland did not record a single effort on target before the interval, with their only real half-chance seeing Fletcher head Jeremain Lens’ cross wide of the target a minute before the break.

Advocaat responded at the interval by bringing on Danny Graham for Seb Larsson and partnering the striker with Fletcher in an orthodox 4-4-2 formation.

That meant Jermain Defoe moving to the left flank while Lens pulled away to the right, and the latter at least displayed some intent as he cut infield to drill a 25-yard strike straight at Ruddy at the start of the second half.

However, Norwich continued to be much the better side after the interval, and Alex Neil’s side claimed a deserved third goal shortly before the hour mark.

Again, Sunderland’s defending was desultory, with Patrick van Aanholt and Lee Cattermole both switching off to enable Redmond to receive the ball from a quick throw in.

The winger, who was superb all afternoon, played a slick one-two with Hoolahan before advancing into the area to slot a simple side-footed finish past Pantilimon.

Jerome fired a shot narrowly wide as Norwich continued to dominate, but Watmore at least provided some welcome energy and appetite as he came off the bench to make his Premier League debut in the final 20 minutes.

The youngster made a couple of eye-catching surges at the heart of the Canaries’ back four, and was on hand to claim Sunderland’s consolation with two minutes remaining.

The Norwich defence failed to clear Lens’ free-kick from the left-hand side, and Watmore drilled a shot into the turf to find the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Sunderland (4-3-3): Pantilimon; Jones, Coates, Kaboul, van Aanholt; Larsson (Graham 46), Cattermole, M’Vila; Defoe, Fletcher (Watmore 70), Lens.

Subs (not used): Mannone (gk), Matthews, O’Shea, Bridcutt, Rodwell.

Norwich (4-1-4-1): Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin, Bassong, Brady; Tettey; Redmond (O’Neil 83), Dorrans, Hoolahan (Johnson 62), Howson; Jerome (Grabban 68).

Subs (not used): Rudd (gk), Wisdom, Bennett, Hooper.